Written Answers Nos. 345-356
345. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide a list of reports used and consultants availed of in the preparation of the sectoral emission ceiling for agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36373/22]
View answerThe preparation for sectoral emissions ceilings for all sectors of the economy so as to achieve the carbon budgets as adopted by the Oireachtas on 6th April 2022 is a matter for my colleague Eamon Ryan, Minister for Environment, Climate Action and Communications. As per the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 in the preparation of the sectoral emissions ceilings "The Minister shall prepare, within the limits of the carbon budget, the maximum amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are permitted in the different sectors of the economy during a budget period (in this Act referred to as a 'sectoral emissions ceiling') and different ceilings may apply to different sectors".
346. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers availing of the nitrates derogation; the total number of cattle in the herds of those farmers; the total hectarage on which basic payment was claimed that is, grassland per county in 2021, in tabular form. [36451/22]
View answerUnder S.I. 113 of 2022, the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Waters) Regulations 2022, the amount of livestock manure applied in any year to land on a holding, together with that deposited to land by livestock, shall not exceed 170kg of nitrogen per hectare, or the limit of 250kg of nitrogen per hectare for those who hold an approved Nitrates Derogation.
In all cases the amount applied to commonage shall not exceed 50kg of livestock manure nitrogen per hectare. Farmers who wish to farm to the higher limit of 250kg of nitrogen per hectare are subject to additional conditions.
The attached Table is based on Nitrates Derogation applications in 2021. These applicants had the opportunity to avail of the higher limit of 250kg of livestock manure nitrogen per hectare in 2021 subject to compliance with the terms and conditions applicable to the Nitrates Derogation in 2021.
Compliance with the Nitrates Derogation is verified in arrears as derogation applicants have the full year to farm and have until the closing date for application in the following year to submit supporting documentation to allow my Department verify their compliance. Checks for compliance in 2021 with the Nitrates Regulations, including the Nitrates Derogation, are still ongoing.
Applicants who fail to meet certain Terms and Conditions can not avail of the Nitrates Derogation so the number of farmers that availed of a Nitrates Derogation in a particular year can only be confirmed once all checks for that year have been completed.
|
County |
Number of Nitrates Derogation Applications 2021 |
Number of Bovines on Nitrates Derogation Farms 2021 |
Total Grassland Area per 2021 BPS Applications (ha) |
|
CARLOW |
93 |
25,267 |
51,229.85 |
|
CAVAN |
112 |
24,136 |
136,228.02 |
|
CLARE |
58 |
11,095 |
195,369.50 |
|
CORK |
2,132 |
505,860 |
480,899.88 |
|
DONEGAL |
94 |
29,127 |
290,022.55 |
|
DUBLIN |
<5* |
576 |
17,522.79 |
|
GALWAY |
152 |
35,726 |
361,991.11 |
|
KERRY |
373 |
73,972 |
321,074.56 |
|
KILDARE |
70 |
22,145 |
75,415.39 |
|
KILKENNY |
515 |
149,692 |
138,161.44 |
|
LAOIS |
258 |
72,239 |
99,750.14 |
|
LEITRIM |
<5* |
520 |
101,384.90 |
|
LIMERICK |
354 |
94,786 |
193,422.04 |
|
LONGFORD |
72 |
5,159 |
68,768.90 |
|
LOUTH |
83 |
23,743 |
39,826.23 |
|
MAYO |
39 |
8,276 |
348,076.20 |
|
MEATH |
171 |
70,096 |
136,035.49 |
|
MONAGHAN |
252 |
45,171 |
98,088.50 |
|
OFFALY |
144 |
43,713 |
107,293.34 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
18 |
6,535 |
157,444.50 |
|
SLIGO |
12 |
3,312 |
118,521.79 |
|
TIPPERARY |
862 |
233,683 |
288,082.53 |
|
WATERFORD |
405 |
114,364 |
116,653.50 |
|
WESTMEATH |
70 |
26,038 |
111,634.87 |
|
WEXFORD |
383 |
98,815 |
121,788.53 |
|
WICKLOW |
87 |
25,391 |
101,395.17 |
|
TOTALS |
6,814 |
1,749,437 |
4,276,081.70 |
*Note: For Counties with less than 5 applicants the number of applicants is stated as <5 to protect farmer confidentiality.
347. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he or his officials have spoken directly with the Commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration since January 2021. [36482/22]
View answerI have not yet spoken with Robert Califf so far in my term. My Department engages regularly with the US FDA on food supply certification, and associated matters.
348. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when he will announce the opening of a decommissioning scheme with terms and conditions for fishing vessels originally suggested by his Department in October 2021 as part of the Report of the Seafood Taskforce that will require agreement with the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36573/22]
View answerThe Report of the Seafood Task Force – Navigating Change (October 2021) recommended 16 support schemes at an estimated cost of €423 million, collectively designed to address the impacts of Brexit and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on our seafood sector and coastal communities. Given the large number of recommendations and the work required to examine each from the perspective of funding available, eligibility under the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve Regulation, State Aid rules, and the Public Spending, the Task Force recommended that its 16 recommended schemes be considered on a phased and prioritised basis.
Since the publication of the Task Force Report, many of the recommended schemes have since been launched , including Brexit support schemes for the fishing fleet, for the inshore fleet, for the processing sector and for coastal communities. A further four schemes are awaiting State Aid clearance from the European Commission.
Of all of the recommendations, the voluntary permanent cessation scheme is certainty the most complex. The Task Force recommended a voluntary permanent cessation scheme for the whitefish polyvalent and beam trawl fleet segments with the objective of removing 8,000 gross tonnes and 21,000 kilowatts of fleet capacity, equivalent to 60 vessels approximately. The Task Force recommended that special provision be made for tax treatment of the decommissioning scheme payments, similar to the decommissioning scheme that operated in 2008 and that complementary measures for buy-out of off-register fleet capacity be instituted in order to lessen the risk of fishers re-entering the fleet with new vessels.
Following discussions with the Ministers for Finance and for Public Expenditure and reform, the recommended tax measures were included in the Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, which was signed into law on 2 June 2022.
On 14 March 2022, a State Aid Notification for a Brexit Voluntary Permanent Cessation Scheme was submitted to the European Commission for its consideration. Separately, on 3 June 2022 a State Aid Notification for a Brexit Off Register Capacity Buy-out Scheme was submitted. I await a State Aid decisions from the European Commission on these matters.
349. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review a decision on his appeal and offer an oral hearing in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36600/22]
View answerI inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office operates independently of my Department.
I have been advised however that the records of the Agriculture Appeals Office confirm that an appeal has not been received to date for the above named individual.
Information on how to submit an appeal is available at www.agriappeals.gov.ie/agricultureappealsprocess/howtomakeanappeal/.
The Agriculture Appeals Office can also be contacted on (057) 8667167.
350. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of full-time and part-time farmers in counties Longford and Westmeath in the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. [36639/22]
View answerThe two main sources of statistics on farmers in Ireland are the Central Statistics Office (CSO) Agricultural Census and the Teagasc National Farm Survey. However, while neither source has details of full-time and part -time farmers by county, they do provide information on related issues.
According to the CSO Agricultural Census carried out in 2020, with detailed results issued in May 2022, in 2020 there were 2,515 farm holdings in Longford and 3,437 farm holdings in Westmeath. The median age of the farm holders in both these counties was 58 years with 11.6% of farm holders in Westmeath and 12.5% of farm holders in Longford were female.
The median farm size in Longford is 21.7 hectares, while it is 27.7 hectares in Westmeath, with the mean size 28.3 hectares and 38.1 hectares respectively.
Close to 79% or 1,976 of the farms in Longford are specialist beef production farms, while 68% or 2,344 are in this category in Westmeath. The second largest category of farms in Longford at 7% or 174 farms are mixed field crops while the second largest category in Westmeath is specialist dairying at close to 8% or 267 farms.
The CSO census data gives a breakdown of the significance of farm work, not by county but by region. Longford and Westmeath are in the Midlands region along with Laois and Offaly. These four counties have a total of 12,041 farm holders. In these four counties 52% or 6,276 farm holders consider farm work as their sole occupation, 22% or 2,688 consider it as a major occupation and 26% or 3,077 consider farm work as subsidiary.
According to the preliminary Teagasc National Farm Survey 2021 released in June the proportion of farm households nationally where either the farmer or the spouse was employed off-farm increased marginally in 2021 to 54%. The proportion of farm holders employed off-farm remained relatively stable at 34%.
The off-farm employment situation differs by farm system according to Teagasc, with Cattle Rearing farmers most likely to work off-farm. The proportion was 44% in 2021, a 3% increase from 2020. The equivalent figure on Cattle Other farms was 38%, unchanged year-on-year. A lower proportion of Sheep farmers worked off-farm in 2021, at 36%, an increase of 2% year-on year. The proportion of Tillage farmers employed off farm remained relatively stable, at 35% and just 12% of Dairy farmers work off-farm.
351. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications made by young farmers for the young farmers scheme in counties Longford and Westmeath in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. [36640/22]
View answerThe number of applications made by young farmers under the Young Farmers Scheme in counties Longford and Westmeath for the years requested are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Longford |
Westmeath |
|
2019 |
176 |
218 |
|
2020 |
148 |
192 |
|
2021 |
96 |
151 |
|
2022 |
108 |
158 |
352. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of young farmers who received support under the young farmers scheme in counties Longford and Westmeath in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. [36641/22]
View answerThe number of young farmers approved for support under the Young Farmers Scheme in counties Longford and Westmeath for the years requested are set out in the table below. Applications under the Young Farmers Scheme for 2022 are currently being processed and payment to successful applicants will commence in early December 2022.
|
Year |
Longford |
Westmeath |
|
2019 |
165 |
190 |
|
2020 |
86 |
130 |
|
2021 |
91 |
146 |
353. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of funding paid out under all agricultural schemes in counties Longford and Westmeath in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. [36642/22]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below.
These figures include direct payments to farmers under various schemes as well as grant funding to local authorities and other organisations on a range of measures. Please note that the bulk of payments are made late in each year, which is why the figure for 2022 appears low when compared to previous years.
|
Assistance Payments/Grant Funding |
Longford € |
Westmeath € |
|
2019 |
37,287,865 |
56,221,044 |
|
2020 |
36,205,580 |
55,650,608 |
|
2021 |
35,820,915 |
52,284,865 |
|
2022 to date |
3,530,786 |
5,641,260 |
354. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of former county managers and CEOs of local authorities who are currently working within her Department and any agency or body under the remit of her Department, including details for persons employed in any format such as on a contract or advisory basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36305/22]
View answerI can confirm that there are no former County Managers or CEOs of local authorities currently employed, in any format, within my Department.
My Department currently has four agencies under its remit. They are Pobal, the Western Development Commission, the Charities Regulatory Authority and Water Safety Ireland. I have set out the details in relation to each below.
Pobal
There are no former county managers or chief executives of local authorities employed, in any format, in this agency.
Western Development Commission
There is one former chief executive of a local authority who is a board member (not an employee or contractor) in the agency.
Charities Regulatory Authority
There are no former county managers or chief executives of local authorities employed, in any format, in this agency.
Water Safety Ireland
There are no former county managers or chief executives of local authorities employed, in any format, in this agency.
355. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); if her Department offers funding opportunities which would address same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36461/22]
View answerMy Department has provided a range of supports which both Men's and Women’s Sheds availed of, depending on the works being completed.
For example, last year the Community Enhancement Programme provided funding of €4.5m for small capital grants to community groups to enhance their facilities and towards the re-opening of facilities. Men's and Women’s sheds along with other community groups could apply to this funding programme.
It is hoped to run another CEP later in 2022, however, details of this programme are not yet confirmed. I would advise the group to check www.gov.ie/drcd on a regular basis for updates and to also make contact with their Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) for further details on the programme. The LCDC may also be in a position, using their knowledge of the local area, to direct the group in question towards a short term arrangement for the summer months so that they can continue to meet while they await a return to their premises.
356. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has received and considered an application in respect of funding for a centre (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36690/22]
View answerThe Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 191 projects have been approved for funding of €278 million for projects costing €377 million.
Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place, and which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for Category 1 applications.
The fourth call for Category 1 applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund closed on the 29th April 2022. My Department received 42 applications to this call, together seeking funding of over €149 million. I understand that an application was received from Clare County Council for the centre referred to by the Deputy.
The application process for the Fund is competitive in nature. Applications are currently being assessed by my Department under the oversight of the Project Advisory Board, comprised of representatives from key Government Departments and independent experts. Once the assessment process is complete, my Department will prepare a report setting out recommended projects. My role as Minister will be to consider that report and make final decisions in relation to the allocation of funding.
I expect to be in a position to announce the successful projects in the coming months.
